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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26221591">Free to Skype</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Denois/pseuds/Denois'>Denois</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Check Please! (Webcomic)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Christmas holiday, Dr Nurse is the best wingmom, First Kiss, Fluff, Freshman Year, Getting Together, M/M, many kisses, you can't prove it's not canon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 04:55:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,419</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26221591</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Denois/pseuds/Denois</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Nursey woke up on Christmas Day to a text from Dex. It wasn't entirely surprising. Dex texted him fairly regularly and was apparently working through the break, so Nursey often woke up to a brief message or a picture of the sunrise over the ocean. But he was pretty sure Dex wasn't working on Christmas, so he hadn't expected Dex to send an early morning message. Besides, he'd figured Dex was sending the messages to everyone, or at least Chowder as well. He wasn't letting himself get carried away with thinking that Dex was messaging him special. </p>
<p>They were friends. Dex was being friendly.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Derek "Nursey" Nurse/William "Dex" Poindexter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>172</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Free to Skype</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Today's shoutouts go to <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/draskireis">Draskireis</a>, <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/lukutoukka">Lukutoukka</a>, and <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/lynewt">Lynewt</a> for watching me write this in real time and <strike>demanding</strike> encouraging me to keep going every time I had to stop and think how to word something or do things related to my job. Draskireis also pointed out some typos. This wasn't an official WIP for me to work on, just an idea that came up and demanded I write it down, so, I didn't ask for a full review on it. </p>
<p>I really like writing Dex as Jewish and I'm trying to get in the habit of doing that more often, but this fic will not feature Jewish!Dex. I probably could have made it work, but I was supposed to be working on a different fic so I didn't stop to research and figure it out.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nursey woke up on Christmas Day to a text from Dex. It wasn't entirely surprising. Dex texted him fairly regularly and was apparently working through the break, so Nursey often woke up to a brief message or a picture of the sunrise over the ocean. But he was pretty sure Dex wasn't working on Christmas, so he hadn't expected Dex to send an early morning message. Besides, he'd figured Dex was sending the messages to everyone, or at least Chowder as well. He wasn't letting himself get carried away with thinking that Dex was messaging him special. </p>
<p>They were friends. Dex was being friendly.</p>
<p>But this message told him to check his bag because Dex had hidden a present in the bottom of it. </p>
<p>He had to pull out all his clothes to find it, but there was, in fact, a pristinely wrapped present at the bottom of his bag.</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>Nursey: What? no skype unwrapping sesh?</p>
</blockquote><p>He was expecting Dex to be busy. Even if he wasn't working, he was always busy, so of course, Dex would be busy. So, he refused to feel let down when Dex's response came through.</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>Dexalicious: Supposed to be watching my cousins and cooking family dinner, at the same time.</p>
</blockquote><p>Of course Dex was busy. It was already amazingly thoughtful that he'd gotten Nursey something and hidden it in his bag and texted him to make sure he opened it on Christmas Day. Dex didn't owe him more than that. Dex didn't owe him that much. They were just bros.  Dex probably gave all the guys some kind of gift. </p>
<p>Then his phone buzzed again, and kept buzzing. An incoming skype call. </p>
<p>From Dex.</p>
<p>He hurried to answer, not even considering that he hadn't stopped to put on actual clothes or fix his hair. </p>
<p>"Damn Nurse. You get dressed up just for me?"</p>
<p>While Nursey did sleep in only his skivvies, it wasn't like Dex could see that far down, so Nursey refused to blush or feel embarrassed. They had cubbies next to each other in the locker room. Dex seeing him shirtless was fine.  He could take the chirps.</p>
<p>"If it's too distracting, I can find a shirt." He cocked a lopsided grin.</p>
<p>"No. It's fine. No need to change on my account." </p>
<p>Nursey took a moment to feel pleased that Dex wanted to see him shirtless. Before the doubts crept in. He probably just didn't care because he didn't think of Nursey as more than a bro. </p>
<p>"I thought you wanted me to watch you unwrap your present?"</p>
<p>"Chill, Poindexter. Take time to savor the day."</p>
<p>Dex didn't respond verbally, just rolled his eyes. </p>
<p>Keeping him on the phone would be nice, but he couldn't take advantage. He was already surprised that Dex had taken the time to skype when he'd explained that he was busy. So, Nursey carefully propped up the phone where he could be seen, but only from the waist up, and picked up the present. He carefully peeled off the tape.</p>
<p>"Seriously, Nurse?"</p>
<p>"This is nice paper, Poindexter. I need to save it."</p>
<p>"You know that I saw you rip and tear at the team gift exchange, right?"</p>
<p>"That paper wasn't as nice."</p>
<p>Dex snorted in response, but Nursey did start being slightly less meticulous about peeling the tape off.</p>
<p>The paper fell away to reveal a book. A beautiful book. The cover was leather, hand tooled with images of leaves. Some of them were gilded. He took a moment to run his fingers over it. He was pretty sure it wasn't old. It looked old. Or rather, it looked like it had been made to appear old. Carefully artificially antiqued. He opened the cover, expecting that maybe Dex had an uncle who made journals or something. Maybe Dex had picked it up from the craft fair that the art students had put on a few weeks before at Kotter. </p>
<p>He wasn't expecting the poems. </p>
<p>That was an understatement. He wasn't expecting anything. But he definitely wasn't expecting a book of poetry. There wasn't a title page, really. What should have been the title page just read "Poems" and "From the Library of Derek Malik Nurse." And the next page had a poem.</p>
<p>Nearly every page after that had a poem. He recognized them. Most of them were poems that he'd quoted at Dex. Some he hadn't recited, but were from the same poets.</p>
<p>It wasn't a thick book. Not really. Still, it was thicker than could be explained by the careful illustrations that accompanied the poems. Or the inclusion of poems he hadn't read to Dex. The book made it clear how many love poems he'd been reading the past few months. And it made something else pretty clear as well. This wasn't a book that could have been purchased at a craft fair. It wasn't a journal made by an uncle.</p>
<p>Dex had made him this. </p>
<p>He stared up at his phone and the tiny image of Dex who was watching him and gnawing on his lower lip. </p>
<p>"You <em>like</em> me."</p>
<p>"Everybody likes you, Nurse. You're a likable guy."</p>
<p>"You <em>like</em> like me."</p>
<p>"Like like? Seriously? What are we? Twelve." </p>
<p>Nursey started to shake his head, but there was a crashing sound from Dex's end of the call. </p>
<p>"Shit. I've gotta go stop my cousins from sledding down the stairs. Later, Nurse."</p>
<p>"Thanks for the boo-" He cut himself off when he realized he was talking to his lock screen. </p>
<p>He ran his hands over the cover of the book again. How much of this had been done by Dex? The poem selection, obviously. The fact that Dex had been paying attention to what poems he read. The fact that he'd looked them up, and looked up more. That was enough to prove Dex liked him. He was sure of it. But Dex hadn't confirmed when he'd said.</p>
<p>Dex also hadn't actually denied it.</p>
<p>He got dressed and took his new book downstairs, unable to stop grinning. </p>
<p>"Already started opening gifts, Der?"</p>
<p>Nursey held the book out to his mom. "Dex hid it in my bag and texted me to open it first thing."</p>
<p>She looked over it, tracing the cover and pages much the same way he had. "Dex, your partner whom you like?"</p>
<p>"Yeah. I'm pretty sure he likes me too. He didn't really deny it when I asked."</p>
<p>"When you asked?"</p>
<p>"He skyped with me while I opened it."</p>
<p>"And after seeing what he snuck into your bag and watched you open, you asked him if he liked you, and he...didn't deny it?"</p>
<p>"Ch'yeah."</p>
<p>"Derek, baby. Did you tell him that you like him, too?"</p>
<p>Nursey hadn't realized that the world could actually stop moving like that until he felt himself thrown off balance by it. "Oh no."</p>
<p>"Derek."</p>
<p>"Chill. Chill. Chill. It's fine." He reached out and took the book back from his mom. "Um, I'm just going to, uh, go to Maine. I'll see you later." </p>
<p>His mom raised her brows at him. "You're leaving right now? Without breakfast? Without opening any other presents? Without knowing how you'll get there?"</p>
<p>He looked at her for a long moment. "Yeah. Pretty much." </p>
<p>Shaking her head, she sighed at him with a rueful smile. "You go get packed. I’ll see if there are any flights or trains today."</p>
<p>His foot was on the first stair before he stopped. "If there aren't?"</p>
<p>"I'll drive you myself. I can't believe you. My son, realizes his boy likes him and forgets to tell his boy it's mutual." </p>
<p>Derek ignored the rest of her muttering and ran up the stairs. </p>
<p>Dex liked him. Dex liked him and only hadn't confirmed because Dex thought he didn't like Dex.</p><hr/>
<p>It took too long to get to Maine. Whoever had decided that Maine should be so far away from New York should be fired. It was hours. He picked up his phone approximately 200 times intending to text Dex saying that he liked him before stopping himself. This shouldn't be done over text. He had to stop himself from calling another 50 to 100 times. It needed to be done in person. That was the whole reason for going to Maine (most of the reason for going to Maine). Even his mom agreed, or she wouldn't have enabled him. </p>
<p>Still, it felt like a cheesy movie. Except those movies never showed how long the person had to wait to make things right after figuring out they'd put their foot in their mouth and missed their chance at asking out the guy they liked. <em>Like</em> liked. </p>
<p>Okay, Dex was right, that did make it sound like they were twelve.</p>
<p>Eventually, he arrived, and he was standing on Dex's porch, and he had pressed the doorbell for Dex's door. The door opened.</p>
<p>He'd expected to see Dex.</p>
<p>He wasn't sure why he'd assumed that Dex would answer the door. Probably just because that's how it would have happened in one of those cheesy movies. But by this point it was evening of Christmas Day, and Dex's house was probably full of family, so of course, it was someone else who answered. </p>
<p>"May I help you?"</p>
<p>"Uh, is Dex, I mean, is Will home?"</p>
<p>Nursey tried to smile politely as the girl who'd opened the door, a cousin he presumed, gave him an appraising look over. Look like he was expected. That was the goal. Like he had every reason to believe that Dex would want to see him and that he definitely was not intruding on Dex's family holiday without so much as a forewarning. </p>
<p>The girl leaned back slightly and turned her head. "Will! There's a hot guy here for you!" </p>
<p>Then she disappeared. The door was left slightly ajar. Not open like he was invited to enter, but not slammed in his face, so that was something.</p>
<p>When the door opened fully and revealed Dex, his face was furrowed in confusion, which didn't disappear after he saw Nursey. Dex stepped onto the porch and closed the door behind him. "Hey Nurse. What's up? I'm right out straight at the moment. Still lots to do."</p>
<p>Nursey nodded. "I can leave, if you want. But. Thank you. For the book. I-. It's amazing. And I'm pretty sure it means you like me. And you didn't deny it, earlier."</p>
<p>"It’s no big deal, Nurse."</p>
<p>"It is. Because I'm hoping you didn't deny it because it's true. Because I like you, too. And I forgot to say that, before. So. Ch'yeah. I needed to tell you." He swallowed hard and forced himself to meet Dex's gaze.</p>
<p>"So, what? You flew up here to chirp me some more?" </p>
<p>"My mom drove me." He paused and waved at his mom who waved back from where she was waiting in the car. </p>
<p>"Your <em>ma</em> drove you up here to chirp me?"</p>
<p>"There weren't any flights available. And, the trains are all delayed. So I mean. She's the one who realized I forgot to tell you that I like you. And she said that if she had to, she'd drive me up here to make sure I could tell you. So, she did. She's chill like that." </p>
<p>Dex was staring at him, his eyes flicking over towards Nursey's mom every so often. His mouth opened and closed. Then opened and closed again. Finally, his hands fell to his sides. "I'll add seats for the two of you. It's not fancy."</p>
<p>Then Dex was walking towards Nursey's mom and helping her out of the car. It was confusing. </p>
<p>It was not less confusing in the house. He was introduced to no fewer than eight uncles and three aunts and he lost count on cousins but thought there must have been a dozen. </p>
<p>When he looked around, he realized that Dex had disappeared again, so he drifted out of the room and went to find him. Instead, he found the same cousin from before. He lifted his hands in a questioning shrug and she pointed toward another door before disappearing again.</p>
<p>He should have realized Dex would be back in the kitchen. It looked like everything was nearly ready, but Dex was, as he'd promised, checking place settings at the various tables that had been crowded into the room. </p>
<p>"We don't have to stay. If you don't want us to." </p>
<p>"Wouldn't have offered, Nurse." </p>
<p>"Oh. Right." Nurse watched as Dex nodded his head and then went to check on something in the oven and stir something on the stove. "I should have brought you a present. Sorry. Still trying to think of something as good as what you gave me."</p>
<p>"I don't need a present from you." </p>
<p>Nursey frowned. "Are you <em>mad</em>?"</p>
<p>"I'm not mad. I'm just...confused."</p>
<p>"Confused."</p>
<p>"Ayuh. You ask me to watch you open my present, so I do. Then you chirp me about liking you. Which, that's fine. I was prepared for it. But then you <em>show up at my house</em> and say you like me, too. Pieces don't fit. Why chirp me about liking you if you like me? So, you don't like me, you're just chirping. But why come all the way here just to chirp me more? Why bring your <em>ma</em> to chirp me?" </p>
<p>"I'm not chirping you, Dex. I like you. I <em>like</em> like you." </p>
<p>Dex snorted and pulled a pot off the stove before setting it on a crocheted trivet and turning to another pot. </p>
<p>"I could kiss you."</p>
<p>"What?" Dex turned and stared at him, mouth slightly open.</p>
<p>"I mean, I'd like to anyway. But if it would help with the confusion."</p>
<p>He stepped closer and Dex didn't pull away. He stepped into Dex's space, and Dex didn't pull away. He ran his thumb over Dex's cheek, like he'd done the book cover that morning, and Dex didn't pull away.</p>
<p>"Can I kiss you?"</p>
<p>"Yeah."</p>
<p>He pressed his lips to Dex's, gently, and Dex pressed back. </p>
<p>Dex's lips were rough, and slightly sticky with chapstick that hadn't quite all been absorbed. When they moved under his lips, he opened his own mouth and let his hand curl around to the back of Dex's head, trailing lightly through the hair at the nape of his neck.</p>
<p>Dex pulled away.</p>
<p>Nursey tried not to feel let down. It had been a good kiss. It was a solid kiss. It was a nice kiss. </p>
<p>It was a short kiss.</p>
<p>He didn't whine about it though. He was an adult. He could handle Dex's decision.</p>
<p>"The gravy's going to scorch."</p>
<p>He opened his eyes and saw Dex turn back towards the stove and pull another pot off of it and onto a trivet before turning burners off and clearing his throat.</p>
<p>"Dinner's almost ready."</p>
<p>Nursey nodded and licked his lips, tasting the faint trace of Dex's chapstick again as he did. He backed out of Dex's space. </p>
<p>"I believe you."</p>
<p>"What?"</p>
<p>"You didn't come up here just to chirp me. You didn't kiss me just to chirp me." Dex paused and glanced over at him. "At least, I hope not. That didn't feel like a chirp kiss."</p>
<p>"It wasn't." Nursey blinked. What the hell was a chirp kiss?</p>
<p>"So, I believe you. But dinner's ready, so we'll have to talk more later. Can you let everyone know?" </p>
<p>Nursey nodded mutely and headed back to gather everyone else.</p><hr/>
<p>When he'd woken up that morning, Nursey hadn't even expected to get a text from Dex. He certainly hadn't expected to be eating dinner seated next to Dex, surrounded by Dex's family and Nursey's mom. He certainly hadn't expected to have Dex's knee pressed into his the whole time. </p>
<p>He probably should have remembered more of the actual dinner. He knew he chatted with Dex's uncles and aunts who made sure to include him and his mom in their conversations. He knew the food was delicious. But mostly, he knew that Dex liked him and that Dex's knee was pressed against his, and sometimes. Sometimes their fingers brushed as they passed food around the table. </p>
<p>He knew he was smiling a lot. He knew he was not being very chill.</p>
<p>He'd expected Dex to clean up after dinner. But Dex had just shaken his head. </p>
<p>"Cook doesn't clean. That's what I have cousins for." </p>
<p>And sure enough, the entire contingent of mini-Poindexters trooped over to pick up plates and flatware and take them to the sink. </p>
<p>His mom tapped him on the hand and nodded towards the front door. </p>
<p>Dutifully, Nursey followed her out. Dex followed him. </p>
<p>"You weren't planning to drive back this late, were you Dr. Nurse?"</p>
<p>Nursey's mom smiled up at Dex. "No. Your Aunt Bea called over to the hotel and had them hold a room for me. I assumed that Derek probably wouldn't need one?"</p>
<p>Nursey stared at his mom for a moment before looking at Dex, just barely catching his flushed cheeks in the porchlight. "He can stay here if that's alright with him and you." </p>
<p>"Right. Did you want to get your bag, then, Derek?" The trunk popped open as she hit the button on the remote and Nursey started moving towards the car. </p>
<p>Then he realized that Dex was heading for it, so he sped up, which just made Dex speed up. Then they were racing for the back of his mom's car.</p>
<p>It wasn't really a shock when Nursey's feet slid out from under him. Luckily, he was close enough to the car to catch himself on it. Then Dex slid into him and pinned him against the car for a few seconds until they both managed to get their footing again. </p>
<p>Nursey's mom cleared her throat behind them and Dex ducked his head and stepped around the car to where the driveway had been shoveled and salted, and grabbed Nursey's bag before shutting the trunk. </p>
<p>"I'll text you in the morning, Der." </p>
<p>"Night mom."</p><hr/>
<p>Dex's room was small but very tidy. His bed was very good for sitting on to kiss. That was about all that Nursey'd managed to notice after Dex took him up and set his bag by the dresser. Mostly because immediately after that, they'd managed to start kissing again. When Dex had backed into the bed, he'd sat down, and Nursey had climbed into his lap to keep kissing. </p>
<p>He didn't really have any plans of stopping. He couldn't seem to remember why he might want to. His hands were in Dex's hair and Dex's tongue was in his mouth and Dex had one hand on his ass and the other rucking his shirt up, his skin warm on Nursey's back. </p>
<p>They were still in Dex's childhood bedroom and the rest of Dex's family was still in the house as far as he was aware, so it wasn't like he figured they were going to be taking it any further. But he still whimpered a little when Dex pulled away just a bit before pressing his forehead up against Nursey's. Nursey's rested his forehead on Dex's, moving ever so slightly to make their noses rub together while Dex took several deep breaths.</p>
<p>"So, uh. We like each other."</p>
<p>"Can confirm. We can make out some more if you need more convincing."</p>
<p>"No. I mean, yeah. I mean." Dex stopped and licked his lips. "I don't need more convincing. I'm ok with making out some more. My family is still here...."</p>
<p>"Just making out, Will. I get it."</p>
<p>Dex's laugh puffed air against his lips. "At least until the cousins are gone. But we can talk about that."</p>
<p>"Talking's good. I like talking." Nursey leaned back and smiled.</p>
<p>"Ayuh. It is good. Um, first. I wanted-. Um. We like each other." </p>
<p>Nursey nodded. "Do you want to be my boyfriend?"</p>
<p>Tension flooded out of Dex and he smiled up at Nursey. "Ayuh. I'd like that." </p>
<p>"Chill."</p><hr/>
<p>Nursey did not spend the rest of the winter break at Dex's. He also didn't return to NYC with his mom the next day. He got a train a couple of days later when Dex had to go back to work.</p>
<p>They skyped every day for the rest of the week until they returned to Samwell. </p>
<p>"You miss me, Poindexter?"</p>
<p>Dex gave him a long considering look. "No."</p>
<p>"You're always free to skype me." </p>
<p>Dex rolled his eyes and shook his head, but Nursey saw the smile. And Nursey knew they'd both be going back to his room after practice. Dex wasn't mad. Dex <em>liked</em> him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A title for this one was difficult. I feel like I might eventually use up all the titles that make sense for my fics and just have to start giving them random words. (Some might argue I already do).</p>
<p>Fear not, I did also write over 2k words on the fic I was supposed to be working on.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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